From the Depths of Memory: October in Wad Madani: A Recreated Pen Picture
Sidiq Mehesi
It was precisely on the morning of the 21st of October, 1964. We, the residents of Wad Madani city, woke up to the sounds of loudspeakers roaming the city streets, asking people to go out and participate in the revolution because the police had killed two students from the University of Khartoum, and there were many injured at Khartoum Hospital, and the police were surrounding it and preventing people from approaching the morgues.
We ran after the cars that were calling on people to head to Freedom Square in front of the Union Sports Club until we got there and found the square crowded with people carrying banners calling on the army to hand over power, and speakers urging the crowd to prepare to go to Khartoum to support the rebels.
There, in the crowd of faces, was Sheikh Al-Lamein Mohamed Al-Lamein, the head of the Farmers Union, and Yusuf Ahmed Al-Mustafa, the secretary of the Union, standing under a large banner painted with cotton bolls. The Railway Workers Union wore their blue overalls, and the Gezira Project Workers Union demanded the cleansing of the projects administration.
Protests were coming from all sides. From the East Nile area near the Public Works Department, hundreds of students from Hantoub Secondary School were marching. They were let off the buses in batches, chanting that Cleansing is a national duty. As they approached the square, the crowd erupted in applause, as the Hantoub students had a special place in the city, being the beacon of awareness and the pride of the community. Their stream moved with a thick cloud of dust towards the square. Special committees formed by the revolution protected them from police attacks. The Student Protection Committee was led by Awad Halawa, Awad Basbais, and Abdel-Jabbar, who were prominent figures in the city, respected by all, and always stood with the weak against the strong.
They knew nothing about the major event except that the Abboud government had killed students in Khartoum. This scene shook the city from top to bottom, with subsidiary demonstrations in Bant, Al-Hilla Al-Jadeeda, Dardaq, Elephant Island, Al-Debaga, Al-Asher, Wad Azraq, Bant, and Section One. Rivers of people were flowing in every direction, with loud chants of Cleansing is a national duty, no leadership for the old, Long live the struggle of the working class, Long live the struggle of the Sudanese people. The Commer vans were full of police wearing helmets and carrying bumpans, but they only used them when ordered to do so by the accompanying judge. Law was prevalent at that time.
Police vans followed the demonstrators chanting, The police are the friend of the people, Oh police, what is your role? The dust receded over the citys sky, and the hours crawled into the evening, leaving the streets empty except for remnants of demonstrators, whose throats had dried up from thirst, seeking refuge in the Sabeel water fountains, their lips dry, preparing for possible sudden demonstrations.
Police vans followed the demonstrators, led by the poet officer Abu Aminah Hamed, who had recently come to the city in the early years of his police career, following the scattered groups, with the judge assigned to assess the situation. That day, the law had a presence, respect, and reverence.
Near Freedom Square, in front of Ibrahim Rashids studio and Abu Shams bar, the Revolutionary Management Committee was in a meeting, planning and drawing up what needed to be done. An operations room had turned into a front of sub-committees receiving directions from Khartoum, headed by Muhyiddin Awwadah, Khalifa Khojali, Hassan Mohamed Al-Amin, Sanhouri Mohamed Al-Amin, Farouk Mohamed Ibrahim, Yusuf Ibrahim Hamad, Yusuf Abdel-Majid, Ahmed Abbas, Jaknoon, Yusuf Mirghani, Abdullah Adam Aboud, Abdel-Moneim Mustafa, Mubarak Mirghani, Yahya Jad Karim, Mohamed Abu Al-Kilk, and Mohamed Abdel-Rahman Shiboon.
On the second day, the demonstrations intensified. Some of them headed towards the buildings of the directorate where the military governor, Hussein Ali Karar, was located, while others went to his house, which was heavily guarded. However, the military governor had completely disappeared, and no one knew his whereabouts. The human river returned, crossing the Sudanese neighborhood to the city market once again, and the chants turned into acts of vandalism. Abu Shams bar was set on fire, and the crowds attacked the whiskey, sherry, and beer bottles. Groups headed towards Yeni Dels bar, forcibly opening its doors, shattering the glass. Before the police could arrive, the invaders carried away crates of alcohol, tins of cheese, and mortadella. On the eastern side of the market, smoke rose from Sheikhs store, the largest supermarket in Wad Madani at the time. Some of the alcohol thieves drank the bottles neat, so they staggered through the market streets, and some vomited, surprised by the effects of this strange liquid. Suddenly, news came that the demonstrators had caught a wealthy trader who supported the regime. The man was torn and dirty, with bruises on his face from which blood flowed until the police intervened to save him from the revolutions troublemakers.
To support the revolution technically, the Gezira Writers Association quickly organized a workshop in the buildings of the Farmers Union. Poets, artists, musicians, and composers gathered. During these events, the anthem of the revolution, Epic of October, was produced. It was written by Fadlallah Mohamed, composed and performed by artist Mohamed El Amin. Another anthem, Wounds of the Martyr, was written by Sadiq Muhaisi and performed by artist Abu Arkai Al Bakhit. It was a crowded and historic day in the national cinema, as it was filled to overflowing, and those who could not find a place climbed the trees around it.
Mohamed El Amins deep revolutionary voice announced the birth of the immortal anthem of October:
October the twenty-first
Oh, the awakening of the mighty people
Oh, the flame of the gigantic revolution
Oh, the inspiration of the frees anger
From the blood of El Qurashi and his brothers
Our land is watered in the university
From the glow of the fiery bullet
The fires of freedom were ignited
Bless our national unity
And work for development
And Abu Arkai Al Bakhit sang:
Your wounds are a lamp that lights the path of doom for my people
Your ribs have sacrificed, your insides have sacrificed
On that day, Hassan Al Basha, Mohamed Miskeen, and Abdel Rahman Al Khawaja sang, and dancer Ibrahim Africano presented expressive musical sketches for the revolution. The poets then took their turn. Hadi Ahmed Youssef presented The Freedom Anthem, Mohamed Abdel Hai Three Doves, Ahmed Jad Karim The Leap of the Giant, Shibon Banners of Victory, Sadiq Muhaisi Bells of Dawn, Abdel Rahman Abdullah Wad Al Gamal The Sun of Hope, Yahya Jad Karim Lumumba, and Omar Mohamed Al Haj Songs of Victory.
Wad Madani was filled with emotions and zeal with the revolution. On the night of the barricades in Khartoum, when news spread of a coup by a handful of military officers to abort the revolution, the city of Wad Madani headed to Khartoum on a special train to protect the revolution, led by Mohamed Jabara Al Awad. Another special train came from Kassala, led by Mohamed Jabara Al Awad. The two trains headed to Khartoum, packed with revolutionaries and echoing with chants, while the echoes were returned by the flats of Gezira. The villagers along the railway line provided the revolutionaries on the trains with food, water, and cheers. Some of them climbed the roofs of the wagons, holding pictures of Al Qurashi to participate in the making of the victory. Those were days filled with heroism and determination to achieve freedom, no matter the sacrifices. And for the poet of the revolution, Mohamed El Maki Ibrahim, October was:
Your triumphant name grows in the conscience of the people
As faith and glad tidings
And extends over the forest and the desert as a sash
With our hands, it glowed as light and a weapon
So we armed ourselves with October, we will not return an inch
We will strike the rock until the rock gives us
Crops and greenery
And we will pursue glory until the ages preserve for us
A name and a memory
